“We’ll talk about that later,” answered Dash. To Roo he said, “Could you use some help?”
“Someone of your talents, certainly,” said Roo. “But the last time I employed you, it ended up costing me a great deal of money.”
Dash grinned. “Well, then I was really working for my grandfather. This time I’d be working for myself.”
“Meaning?”
“I think I would rather seek my own fortune than continue to trade on my nobility and work for the crown. I think that with the Bitter Sea Company I can find a position from which I can someday start running my own business concerns.”
“We can certainly talk about it,” said Roo. “Come to Barret’s tomorrow and we’ll discuss the matter.” He took Karli’s arm. “Now, if you will excuse us, we need to be on our way home.”
They left and Erik promised to drop by on his way to Ravensberg. He turned to Dash and said, “Are you certain about this resignation? The King might insist you stay.”
“Not if I resign my offices,” said Dash.
Erik said, “I’ll leave you two alone to discuss this. I’m off to Ravensburg to see my wife and family.”
Jimmy grabbed his younger brother by the arm and steered him to a window, away from the others who lingered after court. “Are you mad? Resign your hereditary offices?”
“I may be mad, big brother, but I’m serious. I will have a resignation on Talwin’s desk in the morning for him to pass along to Patrick. Unless the King repeals the Great Freedom, no man can be compelled to hold office against his will. I don’t need a title. I can do fine living by my own wits.”
Jimmy looked appalled. “What about everything we’ve done? What about Grandfather and Father? Are their deaths for nothing?”
Dash grew angry. “Don’t throw those deaths in my face, Jimmy. They died for what they believed in, and my choosing to go another way doesn’t diminish their sacrifice. I am just tired of living their vision of what I should be. Who I should be.”
Jimmy said, “Why don’t you come to Rillanon with me? I’ll get Patrick to name another Sheriff in your place. We’ll go to the wedding, then we’ll take ship to Roldem and visit Mother. A week or two with her and you’ll be aching to get back to your criminals.”
Dash laughed. “No doubt. No, you go. Kiss Mother and Aunt Magda and the others for me. Tell Mother I’ll come to visit someday; I know she’ll never set foot on Kingdom soil again.”
“She might if I’m crowned King,” said Jimmy.
“Maybe for that,” agreed Dash, and they both laughed.
Jimmy put his arm around his younger brother’s shoulder. “Are you going to be all right?”
“Eventually,” said Dash. “Right now I just want to get started on a life of my making. I want to use my wits for something other than getting people killed.”
Remembering the wild charge at the Keshians’ rear elements, the fighting outside the wall before Pug appeared, Jimmy said, “I can’t see much wrong with that. It’s just. . .”
“What?”
“It’s just that we’re our father’s sons.”
“I know. This isn’t easy, but once I made up my mind, I knew it was the right thing. We have duties to each other that are more important than our duties to a flag or a king. Can you honestly say you can work on Patrick’s behalf without question?”
Jimmy said, “I would never work for Patrick the man; it’s the crown for which I labor.”
Dash lightly poked his brother’s chest. “And that, dear brother, is the difference between us. I saw common men and women die to protect this city, and what reward is there for them?”
“They get to keep their liberty!” said Jimmy. “You know what Keshian rule would bring to Krondor: slavery, press gangs, children being sold to brothels.”
“Are we so noble then?”
“We have problems, certainly, but we have just laws.”
Dash said, “I’ve been administering those laws for a while now, Jimmy. I’m not so sure sending a ten-year-old boy to the labor gang for stealing food is just.”
“That’s just an extreme case,” said Jimmy.
“I wish that were so.”
Jimmy said, “I have to go. We have been invited to dine with Francine and Patrick. Are you coming?”
“No,” said Dash. “I’ll send a note with my regrets. I have a lot of things to do before the morning if I’m going to turn my office over to someone else.”
Jimmy said, “I wish you’d at least wait until Patrick returns from Rillanon. Maybe by then you’ll have changed your mind. It’s not too late, you know.”
Dash was silent for a while, then he said, “If I do, that will give me more time to get my affairs in order. Very well, I’ll wait until the Prince and Princess return from Rillanon and then I’ll resign my offices.”
Jimmy grinned. “I’ll talk you out of it.”
“I’m still not coining to supper. I’ll see you in the morning before you leave.”
They embraced and Dash left the great hall, heading out the main entrance and through the courtyard, toward the New Market Jail.